Fastener catch



April 28, 1931. w. E. wAcKER.

FASTENER CATCH Filed July 12', 1929 JNVENToR v Wigwam/Ewa;

- BY E@ Patented Apr. 28, 1931 UNITED STATES."

' WILLIAM.' E.`WAGKER,

or mnnwoon, JERSEY, co., nto., A coaronArIoNor maw JERSEY PATENT ori-ICE vApplication led J'uly 12, 1929.. Serial `No.-87l1,694=.

This invention relates to an improved fastener catch, means for boxes and similar con tainers; and the invention has for its princi- I pal object to provide a novel releasable catch or latch device for holding separable sections acter that the same may be very easily, quick- I ly and simply manipulated by a mere proper touch of the thumb or finger to release the separable sections to permit opening of the 1li box orother container to which the novel catch or latch means may be applied, thus providing a catch or latch means especially useful in connection with small boxes, such as womens vanity cases, coin holders, and other containers for personal use.

The invention has for another object to provide a construction of box catch or latch which may be cheaply and easily manufactured and assembled, comprising a minimum number of parts, and of such design that the cooperative holding elements are concealed, with the exception of the thumb piece, when the box. .is closed.

Gther objects of this invention not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

The invention is clearly illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vanity box uipped with the novel catch or latch means Si this invention, the box being shown in closed condition.'

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the box of Fig. 1 when open;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longltudinal section, showing the cooperative elements of the novel catch or latch vmeans engaged.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the cooperative elements -of the novel catch or latch means disengaged preparatory to opening the box; .u Y e Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

E F ig.- 6 is avsectional view taken 6 6 of Fig. 5; and l Fig. 7 is a detail view of the latch tie plate taken during its process of manufacture.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabove described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the said drawings, a

vanity box is illustrated as equipped with the novel fastener catch or latch of this invenalong line AssIGNon rro AUGUST eonn'rz .a

tion. The reference character 1 indicates one box section and 2 the 'other box section. Said box sections may be hinged together by the v hinged connection 3 so that the same may be closed one upon the other. The box sections l and 2 may be so constructed and arranged, that the free edges 4 and' of their side walls abut one upon the other when the sections are closed together. Box section 1 is illustrated as containing a mirror 6 that is retained therewithin by a mirror retaining frame 7 while box section 2 has compacts 8 and 9 held therein by a frame member 10. 0bviously, the vanity box may contain articles other than those illustrated and furthermore, as the type of box or contents thereof form no part of the pres/ent invention, it is not intended to limit the use of the novel releasable catch or latch of this invention to vanity boxes as shown in the drawings.

According to the preferred arrangement of the invention, a transversely extending rectangular. aperture orlatch slot 12 is provided in the forward wall of the box section 1 at a point oppositethe hinged connection 3.' A thumb piece supporting tongue 13 extends" loosely through latch slot 12 and is adapted to supportthe thumb or linger piece 14 on the exterior of the vanity box. l

Thumb or finger piece 14, which also serves as one of the cooperating catch members, is a hollow shell of amp-le size so as to be easily manipulated even with gloved hands and is shown as having a width that is almost equal to the depth of the vanity box so as to have its lower portion overlying the forward end wall of the section 2. Shell 14 has a chambered interior'l open at its rear side or face. Shell 14 is illustrated as of substantially rectangular cross-section, but it isto be understood that it may be of any other suitable cross-sectional shape such as elliptical or circular. A latch tie-plate 16 is positioned within the chambered interior 15 and is arranged so as to extend substantially parallel to the forward wall of the shell 14 and has its marginal edges secured, as by soldering, to the inner walls of this shell.

rlhe thumb piece supporting tongue 13 is an integral portion of the tie-plate 16 as especially illustrated in Fig. 7 and is bent from its position shown in this figure so as to extend rearwardly at right angles to the tieplate as illustrated in the other views of the drawing. Clinching lugs 17 are formed in the rear end edge of the supporting tongue 13 and extend through an appropriate conforming aperture provided in a transversely extending leaf spring 18 having odset end portions 19 bearing against the rear surface of the forward end wall of the box section l. Lugs 17 are clinched over against the rear surface of leaf spring 18, thereby securing the supporting tongue 13 to this leaf spring. End portions 19 press against the rear surface of the forward end wall of box section 1 and cause an inward pull to be exerted upon the supporting tongue 13, thereby urging the rear marginal edges of shell 111 against the exterior surfaces of the forward end walls of the box sections 1 and 2, as especially shown in Fig. 3.

il. catclrnosing 2i) is illustrated as formed in the forwardend wall of bei; section 2 and projects forwardly for cooperating engagement with the lower inner surface of the shell 14. With the box closed as shown in Fig. 3, the catch-nosing 2() engages the lower inner surface of shell or piece 14 which cooperative action between the catch nosing and the shell serves to loclror retain the box in closed condition, the tension of spring 18 acting hold the rear marginal edge of movement the lower marginal edge shell 1li rinly against box sections 1 and 2, and the shell 14 'together with the tie-plate 16 and supporting tongue 13 acting to provide a ri 'd tie connecting the box sections. When it is desiredv to open the vanity box it is merely necessary to exert a slight upward and outward thumb yor finger pressure against the under side of the shell 14, which pressure causes tongue 13 to slide somewhat through the loosely fitting latch slot 12 and, by compressing spring 13 slightly, effects the turning or rocking of shell 14 about its upper rear marginal edge as shown in Fig. e, thereby causinthe lower inner surface or the shell to ride ofi' of the catch-nosing, re-- leasing the latch device and permitting the opening of the box.'

To again lock the box in closed condition it is merel necessary to turn the box sections to close position at the end of which closing ortion of the shell 14 rides over the incline upper outer surface of the catch nosing and snaps into cooperative locking relation with t e underside of this catch-nosing, thereby automatically locking the box sections together.

From the above description it will be obvious that the catch mechanism of this invention is of simple and efficient construction, and that the same may be easily and quickly manipulated. Due to the novel construction, a linger piece of generous proportions is provided, which may be easily located and manipulated by the user of the box, while at the same time an attractive appearance is adorded by the exterior surfaces and contour of said finger piece, which may be made smooth and polished, or may be embellished with surface decoration if desired.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departin from the scope thereof, it is intended that a l matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is l. Fastener means for separable sections of a container or the like comprising a catch element on one section, a hollow-shell forining a finger piece, a tie-plate secured within said nger piece, saidtie-plate having a supporting tongue projecting therefrom for connecting the same with the other section,

subject to a limited movement therewith, said hollow shell having a portion movable into engaged or disengaged relation with said catch element of the rst named section when said sections are closed together.

2. Fastener means for separable sections of a container or the like comprising a catch element on one section, a hollow-shell forming a iinger piece having a supporting tongue for connecting the saine with the other section and spring means secured to said tongue and positioned between said su porting tongue andthe other section for sli ably engaging said other section, said spring means being adapted to permit a limited movement of said hollow shell to enable a portion thereof to engage or disengage said catch element of the first named section when said sections are closed together.

Sil

3. Fastener means for a container having a. pair of sections movable into closed relation one upon the other, comprising, a nger piece having a portion adapted to cooperate with a catch-nosing provided on one of said sections, a plate member secured within said linger piece and having a supporting tonguesaid other section to yieldably position said linger piece in holding relation to said catchnosing when said container is closed.

4. Fastener means for a container having a pair of sections movable into closed relation one upon the other, comprising, a tieplate having a tongue extendin inwardly through a latch aperture provi ed in one container section, a finger piece carried by said tie-plate and having a catch portion for cooperating with a catch-nosing provided on the other container section, and spring means connected to the inner end of said ton e and pressing at spaced points symmetrica y disposed with respect to said tongue against the inner wall of said iirst section for yieldably holding said finger piece in position to dispose its catch portion in holding relation to said catch-nosing.

5. Fastener means for separable sectlons of a container, one of said-sectlons having a catch-nosing projecting therefrom and the other of said sections having a latch aperture therein, comprising a tie-plate having a tongue extendin inwardly through said latch aperture, a nger piece carried by said tie-plate and having a catch ortion for cooperating with said catch-noslng, and spring means secured to the inner end of said tongue and having oi'set end portions slidably pressing against the inner surface of said other section for yieldably holding said finger piece centrally disposed in abutting relation to the exterior of said other section and in position to dispose its catch portion in holding relation to said catch-nosing.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of July, 1929.

a WILLIAM E. WACKER. 

